Slipstream CD...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
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M

Mike

I need to make an XP CD with service pack 3 & have seen articles on doing
this, but wonder if there is a way to verify that the CD has been created
correctly.
 
Mike said:
I need to make an XP CD with service pack 3 & have seen articles on
doing this, but wonder if there is a way to verify that the CD has
been created correctly.
Click to expand...

Use it.
(Install on a real or virtual machine.)

VirtualBox is a freeware virtual machine product.

I personally like the /integrate option with BBIE and creating my own ISO,
but others use products like nLite.
nLite will create an ISO image for you as well.

http://unattended.msfn.org/
(Good page for more tweaking, etc.)
 
There are two good utilities for creating a "SlipStreamed" CD
1) Autostreamer - Easy to use.
2) nLite - which is more complex but you can integrate
your PCI card drivers and more. http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html
nLite Guide: http://www.nliteos.com/guides.html

I use AutoStreamer, it's easy to use and for the most part self explanatory

Auto Streamer Guide and Download Sites:
http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/using_autostreamer/using_autostreamer.shtml
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1092632287/1

Where to download SP3
SP3 file download:
(File is large but will only install components that you PC requires)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&DisplayLang=en

Create a Slip Stream version of Windows XP using SP3
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/slipstream.htm (Using AutoStreamer)
http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp3_cd_final.htm
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/xpsp3_slipstream.asp
 
Mike said:
I need to make an XP CD with service pack 3 & have seen articles on doing
this, but wonder if there is a way to verify that the CD has been created
correctly.
Click to expand...

If you think about it, there are 4 steps in the final making of such a CD
regarding accuracy of such data. The first two steps are reliability and
accuracy of the XP installation source, and, the SP3 source. The third is
the slipstreaming software making the ISO from these two sources. The 4th
step is the making of the actual CD from the ISO source. I haven't seen any
information anywhere on how to verify all these procedures as accurate in
their making of their step of the end result.

Having said that, I used XP generic OEM installation CD, MS SP3 CD,
autostreamer, and Nero version 7 for the process. The end product CD was
used for installing the current version of XP that I use now. That doesn't
really answer your question though.
 
Mike said:
I need to make an XP CD with service pack 3 & have seen articles on
doing this, but wonder if there is a way to verify that the CD has
been created correctly.
Click to expand...

That's a very wise query, Mike; good for you! As near as I can tell,
over 50% of slitpstreamed CDs fail when it comes time to use them. Plus
it's a pain to create them for the most part.

There are really only about 2 ways to tell:

1. Use it. Preferably not on your prodution machine, but if that's all
that's available to you ... .

2. Use a virtual machine (VMWare) which creates a virtual computer
within your computer to put it simply. Again, it's not easy to get a
virtual machine going or a lot of people, especially the experience
challenged. But, it is handy once you get to knowing how to do it.

Personally, to just slipstream SP3 to an OS disk seems like a lot of
work to me simply to avoid opening the drive door and dropping in the
SP3 CD. It doesn't save any time but takes, IMO, excessive time to set
up.

Imaging software would be a much better solution IMO. Create the
disaster recovery backups etc. you need, and you can get your drive back
anytime you want, completely set up with all your programs in place and
ready to run. Not counting time to install a new hard drive, it would
take me about 23 minutes last I checked, to be up and running with all
of yesterdays' settings and programs installed as of the last
incremental backup which ran last night. Costs a little more but you get
a lot more out of it and your time is worth something.

Just my 2 ¢; I'm not saying it won't work; just that I don't see it as
worth the effort.

Twayne
 
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